Daytona manager benches Cubs prospect Jorge Soler for one game

DAYTONA BEACH -- When you don't hustle, you don't play for the Daytona Cubs.

That was the message that was delivered to outfielder Jorge Soler on Sunday, when the highly touted prospect was benched for a game for not running hard on two at-bats in a Saturday night loss to Lakeland.

Soler, the No. 34 ranked prospect in the minors, according to Baseball America, didn't play in Sunday's 7-4 win over the Palm Beach Cardinals at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Earlier this month, the 21-year-old Cuban defector was suspended for five games for an on-field incident.

“(Soler) sat (Sunday) because within the philosophy and the work ethic that we are trying to create in this organization -- and that we are trying to get our players to understand – work ethic, energy, determination, playing hard and running hard is part of the whole program,” Daytona manager Dave Keller said. “When you don't do that, then you don't get to play. That's something that has really been emphasized over the last two years.”

Soler, who is batting .276 with two homers and seven RBIs, will be back in the lineup for Monday night's game against the Cardinals, Keller said.

“As a coaching staff we're required to stay on top of it,” Keller said. “And we're doing it because work habits create the player, period. When you work, you get better.”

Soler, who signed a nine-year contract worth a reported $30 million last year, was not available for comment immediately after the game.